Sports
Raising a healthy generation is one of the priorities of state policy in Uzbekistan. A great deal of attention is devoted to the development of sport in Uzbekistan. A series of resolutions of the Uzbek government is used to develop the sports movement.
The government has created new associations, built sports facilities.
Since independence, Uzbek athletes have won 731 gold medals, 736 silver medals and 845 bronze medals at the Olympic Games, Asian Cup championships, Asian Games and other international competitions.
32 national sports federations of Uzbekistan are members of international federations
The Uzbek National Institute of Physical Culture trains specialists in physical education and sport. Each year, it trains about 2,000 students. The University prepares physical education teachers and sports coaches.
The Asian Boxing Championship, the Asian and Oceania Taekwondo Championship, the International Category “A” Tournament in free wrestling, the Asian Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championship and the others are held in Uzbekistan. In 1999, Tashkent became the venue of the first Uzbek national wrestling championship (Courach) .These athletes from 50 countries participated in this championship.522 sports schools for young people, 63 specialized schools of the Olympic reserve, 5 Schools (colleges) of the Olympic reserve,
7 high schools of sports are in charge of the preparation of the sports reserve. High sports school forms national Olympic teams. The 150 qualified specialists train about 2000 athletes of high caliber. They form the basis of national teams in 32 types of sports. Promising and talented athletes train at the Olympic Training Centers at these schools. Physical training occupies a special place in the life of the country. 6.5 million people make up the base of 145,000 teams. At the same time, special attention is given to the sport development of people with disabilities. The Ministry of Social Affairs of Uzbekistan, the Republican Society of Disabled Persons and the Regional Office of the International Red Cross are involved in sport for people with disabilities.
Uzbek sportsmen are famous in fighting sports such as judo, boxing, uniform and Greco-Roman wrestling. The most famous sportsman in the judoka is Abdullo Tangriev. He was Olympic vice-champion in Beijing in 2008.
Football is gaining popularity. The Uzbek national team is in August 2009, the 9th best team of the Asian continent after Australia, Japan and South Korea.
The Uzbeks are aware of the exploits of French football players. The Kuruvchi Tashkent, renamed Bunyodkor bought Rivaldo (golden balloon in 1999). Bunyodkor also recruited former Brazilian star Zico (ex-Fenerbahçe) as coach.
Cyclist Djamolidine Abdoujaparov was one of the best sprinters of the peloton in the early 1990s. He also won at least one stage in the three Grand Tours (France, Italy and Spain). He also has on his record the Belgian classic Gand-Wevelgem. In tennis, the best Uzbek player in the 2000s is Denis Istomin. He has won a few victories over challengers tournaments. He reached the third round of the 2008 Australian Open and beat Lleyton Hewitt in 4 sets.
National sports
The national sports are the oulak, and especially the kurach.
The Kourach is an ancient wrestling sport also practiced by the soldiers of Amir Timour. The kourach has experienced a revival since independence. A kurach association has been created. The word “Kurach” translated from Uzbek means “struggle!”. There are two methods: Fergana and Bukhara. At Fergana the wrestlers are taken by the belt. The rules of Bukhara are very reminiscent of those of the Greco-Roman struggle. The Kurach, was born on the territory of modern Uzbekistan three millennia before. Ancient literary sources of the East mentions the Kurach as a singular combat, like public sports distraction.
According to the dastan, the epic poetry “Alpomich” appeared a thousand years before Kurach was a most favorite and most respected sport in Uzbekistan at that time. A great scholar and oriental thinker Avicenna wrote that the exercises of Kurach help a lot Healthy body and mind. The scholars suppose that the Kurach is the kind of the oldest struggle.
In the 9th century AD people living in the territory of present-day Uzbekistan practiced the Kurach as a distraction during traditional festivals, balls and weddings. Later the Kurach became the independent sport. The names of the strongest wrestlers like Pahlavan Makhmoud became legendary among the people. Pahlavan Makhmoud lived in the XII century. His tomb is in Khorezm. It became a sacred place, which attracts many pilgrims. In the 14th century one of the greatest statesmen in human history, Amir Temour, counted the Kourach the essential for the formation of the physical and moral state of his soldiers
Years passed and the Kurach became a favorite and honored tradition among the people who lived in the territory of present-day Uzbekistan. Children inherit love for this struggle of their fathers. Currently in Uzbekistan more than two million people regularly make Kourach.On has not defined the number of enthusiasts of this fight.
The main rule of Kourach is the defense of fighting in a horizontal position. As soon as the knee of one of the wrestlers touches the carpet, the judge stops the fight, the wrestlers begin the fight again from the first standing position. This rule makes Kourach a very dynamic, fast and interesting sport for the general public. The rules of Kourach also prohibit the use of catches above the belt and all painful and stifling procedures.
The Kourach is a genre of the safest fight. The first International Tournament for the President of Uzbekistan was a success. The stadium “Jar” with 30 thousand of places was not able to acceuillir all the amateurs of the Kourach. Early May 1999 Tashkent witnessed the first World Championship in Kourach.
The kopkari or the oulak
Riders compete for a decapitated ram carcass and must bring it against their opponents to the “circle of justice” traced on the ground after making a certain course. Competitions of this type are more rare in Uzbekistan. They take place for great occasions, like Navrouz, the Eastern New Year’s Day. The Oulak – boskatchi is a kind of polo without rule, which is played with the body of a goat – decapitated goat which serves as a kind of balloon. Tourists attend the March competitions during New Year’s Day (the Navrouz) in Central Asia. Here is how the oulak, “one of the oldest Uzbek traditions. The best “chavandozlar” (horsemen) must take the goat from the winner’s hands. The “chavandozlar” meet on a starting line. The referee throws the goat’s body into the arena under the horses’ noses. The Chavandozlar throw themselves forward and each one tries to approach the carcass. A winner manages to catch him and escapes with a cry of victory. All follow him. They managed to get the animal back. Another makes him fall under the feet of the galloping horses. His team-mates, to whom he spends the remains, protect him. His adversaries barred him and seized the sheep at any price. The victory will be for those who succeed in crossing the finish line with the carcass. All the horsemen are against him to take the goat and win the prize, despite the violence of the blows. Finally, one of them will succeed under applause. In the past, breeders selected animals specially trained for the game and many tournaments attracted spectators from far away. The victors of several events became heroes, venerated and respected by the whole community.
Development of children’s sport in Uzbekistan
During the years of independence, children’s sport in Uzbekistan develops within the framework of youth policy and the National Training Program. In Uzbekistan
We regularly organize sports competitions such as:
“Umid nihollari” – among schoolchildren;
“Barkamol avlod” – between high school students and students of vocational colleges;
“The Universiade” – among students of higher education institutions.
In accordance with the Presidential Decree in 2002 the Fund for the Development of Children’s Sport
Was established in 2003. It has been an important step towards the development of children’s sport. Since 2004, the Fund has been included in the system of the Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan. The main objectives of the Fund are: the promotion of public policies for the development of physical education and sport among children, the awakening of sport interest among the younger generation, the protection of young people from various harmful effects and its Education in the spirit of patriotism.
In 2009, 174 gymnastic rooms in different schools were built. Since the foundation of the Fund for the development of the sport of children until the year 2009, in 674 schools were opened gymnastics halls.In those years, 178 children’s sports facilities were built and began functioning.
Tennis Tournament of Tashkent
The Tashkent Tennis Tournament is created in 1999 by the President.This is why it has another name »President’s Cup» Its Editions are 16. Its category is International Challenger. Its periodicity is annual. It is happening in Tashkent.
Its participants are 32 players in singles, 16 teams in double (2013) Status of the participants are Professionals
The tournament of Tashkent (Uzbekistan) is a women’s tennis tournament of the WTA and male professional circuit of the CircuitChallenger.It is organized every year since 1999 in September for the women’s tournament, in October since 2008 for the men’s edition, hard and outdoor . A male tournament of the ATP circuit also took place from 1997 to 2002